With a story that has been made so many times and in so many different ways, the trick is to not compare versions so I won't. BUT there are several versions of the 1935 Seymour Hicks "Scrooge". There is the public domain sixty minute copy and several longer ones of varying lengths. All are available on You-Tube. I had watched a murky public domain VHS copy, and after reading the IMDb boards, found that I had missed some key scenes. I chose the longest available one on-line. Good idea ! Several mysteries were cleared up by seeing all of the film. Most noticeable is just where Mr. Scrooge suddenly got all of those nice new clothes. The interaction with the butcher alone is worth watching the longer version ... it's quite funny !Another scene that is omitted from the shortened version is a charming family piece concerning the making and serving of the Christmas Pudding.Hicks is wonderful as Scrooge. Because he is a totally unknown actor to me, I could see him as Scrooge and not be distracted by his "real" self or any other characters he had played. The same for all of the other actors. One un-intentionally funny note is the scene with Scrooge's former fiancé and her actual family... she has literally dozens of dancing children with many of them of the same age. I like the invisible Marley and the suggested ghosts. Listen to the voice of Marley and see if you agree as to who it is said to be. (Hint = invisible!) <--- edit: said to be an urban legend. The film is very atmospheric and the music is very mood setting and enhances the action. It's quite suspenseful and downright creepy at times. Scrooge's transformation seems genuine with him being eager to improve as a man as the story progresses. Recommend giving this version a try. I predict that it will be in your top 3 favorite Scrooges too.

Scrooge (Seymour Hicks), the ultimate Victorian miser, has not a good word for Christmas, though his impoverished clerk Cratchit and nephew Fred are full of holiday spirit. But in the night, Scrooge is visited by spirits of another color.This film has been seen by many people not because it is the best version, but because it fell into the public domain and therefore can be shown on TV for free and sold at store for as low as $1. It also is probably not the worst version, though it is hard to say depending on who you get it from. Being in the public domain means it can be copies from a copy and look or sound terrible. There is little incentive to clean up the film.The one included with the 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol" is pretty good. The picture is a bit rough at times, but not awful, and the music has held up pretty well.

Not bad but not great version of the classic Dickens tale. Seymour Hicks makes for a very different Scrooge than most of us are used to seeing. Big bushy eyebrows, wild hair, and a permanent caveman expression on his face. He makes Scrooge appear more brutish than other versions. His Scrooge looks like the kind of guy you would see in films of the period that hung around the docks waiting to rob people. This is a darker Carol than most. A lot of stuff is either left out or is only alluded to rather than shown. I don't know...it's not one of my favorite versions, to be sure, but it is interesting and enjoyable enough. Give it a shot if you have seen other versions and like to compare. Otherwise, if this is your first stop for A Christmas Carol film, you'd be better off with the 1951 Alastair Sim version.

There are many films that have been made over the years of the classic Charles Dickens story about the miserly Scrooge and his miraculous transformation on Christmas Eve. This 1935 British version has quite an antique feel to it, especially when compared to the 1951 Alastair Sim film. This film moves quickly, but still faithfully portrays Dicken's tale adequately. Sir Seymour Hicks transfers precisely Dicken's portrait of the cantankerous old penny-pincher, who reforms after the visitations of four ghosts and guarantees a bright future for Tiny Tim and all the Cratchit family. I quite enjoyed Donald Calthorp's portrayal of Bob Cratchit, bringing dignity, patience and the gentleness of the man, whether at home with is loving family or in the cold cruel office of Scrooge & Marley, and finally bravely dealing with Tiny Tim's death in the ghost-vision scene being observed by Scrooge. As I previously stated the film has an antique feel, partially due to it's age and by technical standards it is not perfect. Nonetheless this " Scrooge " has it's own charms, is finely played, and carries on at a pace which nicely conserves the Dickensian's classic Christmas story. If you are very fond of early films, and A Christmas Carol, you may find this version entertaining and interesting.